CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Mocs Women's Basketball team is set for its second game inside McKenzie Arena this weekend, as it takes on the Samford Bulldogs Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. The game marks the halfway point of the conference season, as Chattanooga looks to win its 11th consecutive game.  

Game Day Information
Chattanooga (14-5, 6-0 SoCon) vs. Samford (8-15, 1-5 SoCon)
Date: Sunday | February 1
Time: 2:00 p.m.  
Site: Chattanooga, Tenn. | McKenzie Arena
Promotion: 90s Night and Black Out Game 

Check GoMocs.com for links to live stats, video streaming on ESPN+ and audio streaming on WFLI 96.1 FM/100.3 FM/1070 AM hosted by the Varsity Network.

Tickets can be purchased in advance here or by calling/visiting the McKenzie Arena Box Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627) during business hours of M-F, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (ET)

Last Time They Met
Feb. 5, 2025 | Chattanooga 50, Samford 55
Samford took the win on its home court last season 55-50. The game was tied going into the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs outscored the Mocs 15-10 in the final period to earn the win. Caia Elisaldez scored 15 points in the loss to lead the Mocs while Gianna Corbitt nearly had a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds

Series History
In a series that dates back to 1998, Chattanooga leads 31-12... Sunday marks the 44th all-time meeting... The Mocs have won four of the last five games against the Bulldogs... UTC is 17-5 at home against Samford... Have won the last two meetings at home.

Back at Home
Chattanooga returns to McKenzie Arena for the second time this weekend, after defeating Mercer 72-59 on Friday night. Sunday marks the 11th home game of the year, as the Mocs hold an 8-2 record on their home court this season. Head Coach Deandra Schirmer is 18-7 in homes games during her two years in Chattanooga. 

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and Counting
Chattanooga is riding a 10-game winning streak with wins over Bellarmine, Tennessee State, Western Kentucky, Southern Wesleyan, Wofford, Furman, ETSU, UNCG, Western Carolina, and Mercer. It's the first time the Mocs have won 10 consecutive games since winning 12 in a row in the 2023-24 season. Chattanooga is currently tied 11th for the longest active win streak in the country as of Saturday morning.

Offensive Outburst
Chattanooga defeated Mercer on Friday, 72-59 in what was its first home game in 20 days. A 25-10 second quarter in favor of the Mocs proved to be the difference. Chattanooga had four players in double figures offensively for the first time this year against D1 opposition.

Where Things Stand in SoCon
Chattanooga leads the SoCon with a 6-0 record, winning each game by at least nine points. Furman defeated Wofford at the buzzer on Friday to move into sole possession of second place at 6-1. Samford is currently in seventh place in the SoCon with a 1-5 record. 

Where Things Stand Nationally
The Mocs are ranked No. 186 in the NCAA Division I NET Rankings. In the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, the Mocs are receiving votes, effectively sitting at No. 32.

Scouting Chattanooga
Chattanooga has won 10 games in a row, and has not lost since Thanksgiving week. Caia Elisaldez with 14.8 ppg (2nd in SoCon) and 5.2 apg (1st in SoCon) has been instrumental for the Mocs all season. Most recently, Elisaldez has scored 19 points and 22 points in her last two games while averaging 6.5 assists. Gianna Corbitt has also been a top player in the league for Chattanooga, as she averages 13.9 ppg (6th in SoCon) and 8.3 rpg (2nd in SoCon). She went off for 22 points against Mercer and on the glass has had nine or more rebounds in all six SoCon games. 

Izzy McPherson, who has recently been inserted into the starting lineup, has been hot offensively for the Mocs. In the last two games, she has scored 13 points and 16 points, both of which set new seasons highs against D1 opposition. In these two games, McPherson is shooting 3-pointers at a rate of 43.7% (7-16), which includes a career-high four made triples in the win vs. Mercer. 

Moving to team stats, Chattanooga stands out in several different statistical categories. The Mocs lead the SoCon in FG% at 42% and 3FG% at 32.4%. Moving to the defensive side of the court, Chattanooga holds SoCon opponents to just 46.3 ppg which leads the league. Also during SoCon play, Chattanooga averages a league best 43 rpg. The Mocs have outrebounded their opponent in 12 straight games. 

Scouting Samford
Samford comes to Chattanooga losers of four consecutive games. Three of those losses have been by single digits with the only blowout loss coming to Wofford (56-80). Samford's last win came on January 10 at Western Carolina by a score of 73-62. The win in Cullowhee is one of three the Bulldogs have earned on the road this season, with the other two coming at Florida A&M and USC Upstate. The Bulldogs are coached by Matt Wise, who is in his first year as Head Coach, after spending three years as an Assistant Coach for them. 

Kaylee Yarbrough, a freshman guard from New Hope, Alabama, is Samford's leading scorer, averaging 13.2 ppg (8th in SoCon). In Samford's last win at Western Carolina, Yarbrough scored 23 points. She also leads the team in 3FG% at 36% (41-114). If we are talking defending the 3-point line though, Chattanooga's No. 1 player of interest is Briana Rivera, who leads the country in 3-pointers this season with 73 triples. She shoots it a rate of 35.1% (73-208) and has made at least five triples in four games this year, including eight against Georgia State. 

As a team, Samford makes 8.8 3-pointers a game, which leads the league, and ranks 23rd in the country. Moving away from the 3-ball, Samford is last in the SoCon in points allowed per game at 68.6. One thing they do well defensively though, is block shots, averaging 3.5 per game (T2nd in SoCon). The Bulldogs have also struggled on the glass, averaging 32.7 rebounds per game, which ranks last in the league. 

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For the latest news and information on Chattanooga Mocs Basketball, visit the official website of Mocs Athletics at GoMocs.com. Fans can also follow the Mocs on social media at @GoMocsWBK (X), @GoMocsWBK (Instagram) and ChattanoogaWomensBasketball (Facebook).